Symptoms and Effects of Teeth Grinding
- A dull, constant headache originating in the temples
- Teeth that are suddenly more sensitive to heat, cold, or sweetness.
- Soreness on your tongue or the inside of your cheeks, as people who grind their teeth often bite themselves.
- Tired or tight jaw muscles.
What Causes Teeth Grinding?
Doctors don’t have a full understanding of all the causes for grinding your teeth. Stress, anxiety, or even pure force of habit are some common causes. Teeth grinding is very common in childhood, and it can also be caused by sleeping disorders, such as sleep apnea. If your dentist believes your teeth grinding is caused by a sleeping disorder, or another psychological condition, he or she may refer you to a sleep specialist to determine the underlying causes that must be addressed before the teeth grinding can be alleviated. People with overbites or an abnormal alignment of their upper and lower teeth may also experience bruxism.
- Wear a Mouth guard
Mouth guards are the easiest and most typical measures taken against teeth grinding. Your dentist will fit you with a custom plastic mouth guard that you wear every night to sleep. While you’ll probably still move your mouth during the night, the guard acts as a buffer by preventing your teeth from grinding against each other. The soft plastic keeps your teeth safe and prevents further weakening of the enamel.
- Dental correction
In cases where your teeth grinding is caused by a dental problem, the proper procedure to correct the issue might be the right course of action. If you grind your teeth because of a dental misalignment, braces or Invisalign might gradually help you stop by improving the issue. If you have damages to your teeth that cause irregularities in the chewing surfaces, crowns could alleviate your teeth grinding.
- Stress management
For many people, teeth grinding is an instinctual response to stress or anxiety. Often times, if somebody is stressed at work, the subconscious anticipation of the next day’s probable stress can cause them to grind their teeth during their sleep the night before. While your dentist cannot recommend the method of stress management best suited for you, if your teeth grinding is determined to be a result of stress, seek out healthy forms of relieving stress that might help you sleep easier and grind your teeth less.
- Avoid stimulating substances
Certain substances such as caffeinated beverages, or even alcohol, when consumed before bed can increase the frequency of teeth grinding.
- Consult with a sleep specialist
If it is determined that you grind your teeth as a symptom of a sleeping disorder, you may need to consult with a sleep specialist to determine the proper treatment for the disorder. By addressing your sleeping issue at its source, the symptoms of the disorder, including your teeth grinding, should gradually be minimized.
Do you think you grind your teeth at night? If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, and have not been able to determine another probable cause, it’s possible that you do. Ask your dentist to examine you for signs that you grind your teeth before your symptoms get worth, and explore which preventative measures are right for you.
